Caryn A. Bills
Retired Associate Chancellor, Office for Access and Equity
Office for Access and Equity
Contact
- Building & Room:
- 717 Marshfield Avenue Building (MC 602)
- Address:
- 809 S. Marshfield Ave.
- Office Phone:
- (312) 996-8670
Email:
About
In her 40 years as a UIC executive leader, Caryn Bills played a key role in helping UIC become one of the most diverse universities in the nation. As associate chancellor of the Office for Access and Equity, she was responsible for compliance with state and federal civil rights and anti-discrimination laws, she and her team address unlawful harassment, hostile work and academic environments, bullying, and incivility. She promoted a culture of respect and inclusivity within all communities.
She established alternative forms of resolution through its Dispute Resolution Services. As one of the first university administrators to create a dispute resolution services unit offering facilitations, mediations, consultations, and unit assessments to improve the campus work environment, she's now recognized as a leader in that area, regularly providing guidance to other universities interested in developing similar services. Caryn is also a certified Executive Coach and uses these skills daily to provide guidance in leadership matters while having a list of mentees she annually collaborates with to professionally develop.
Caryn provided a leadership role on the Behavioral Threat Assessment Team for employees. In the workplace, civility is crucial, as it enhances collaboration, builds trust, reduces conflict, improves communication, and builds employee morale. Caryn strived to prevent conflict from escalating to costly litigation while addressing culture change through the preliminary assessment stages of compliance, prevention, culture change, or threat of violence. These strategies address immediate concerns of hostile work and learning environments and build a culture of respect, equity, and inclusion that prevents and mitigates such difficult and complex challenges.
Licensures and Certifications
Certified Workplace Mediator and Trainer (CMT) in Conflict Resolution
Eckerd College – Awarded April 19, 2025